Issuu

Somerset

NHS Foundation Trust

Information and help for the bereaved Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset TA1 5DA Telephone: (01823) 343753 Yeovil District Hospital, Higher Kingston, Yeovil BA21 4AT Telephone: (01935) 384746

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust would like to offer you our sincerest condolences at this difficult time. We know that the death of someone close, can be very distressing. The Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office staff are available to help and guide you through the next few days and to ensure that the practical arrangements are handled in a sensitive and timely manner.

This booklet aims to explain what happens next; including information about how to comment on the care your loved one received and what happens if a death is looked into by the Coroner.

It also provides details of the processes involved if you have any significant concerns about the care we provided and gives you practical advice, support and information.

Initial Advice Please telephone the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office after 10am the next working day following the death or after 11am after a Bank Holiday. Musgrove Park Hospital 01823 343753 Yeovil Hospital 01935 384746 We apologise if you connect to an answer phone when you call or if the line is engaged for long periods, we may be talking to another bereaved family. Please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible. We advise you not to make a date for the funeral until you have spoken to us. However, you can speak to a Funeral Director to begin making arrangements for the funeral. Please do not come to the hospital without prior arrangement. If you are required to attend the hospital for any reason, the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office staff will inform you.

Contents Introduction

Medical Examiner Service and Medical Certificate of Cause of Death

Registering the death

Tissue donation

Spiritual Care

Paying last respects

Bereavement support following the death of a loved one

Choosing a Funeral Director

Coroner’s Referrals

Post Mortem Examination

Inquest

Reviews of Deaths in our care

Investigations

Feedback, concerns and complaints

People you might need to inform

Further information and support

Advice and support

15-18

Funeral Directors from the region

19-23

Introduction This publication has been compiled using information supplied by hospitals across the country. The National Health Service is very grateful to everyone who has contributed to the development of this information. In particular, they would like to thank all the families who very kindly shared their experiences, expertise and feedback to help develop this resource. This information has also been produced in parallel with national guidelines on both Learning from Deaths and Notification of Death regulations 2019. www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/patient-safety-insight/ learning-from-deaths-in-the-nhs/ www.gov.uk/government/publications/notification-of-deathsregulations-2019-guidance

Medical Examiner Service and Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Somerset NHS Foundation Trust now hosts a Medical Examiner Service, which is a national system for reviewing deaths that occur in hospital and our community. The Medical Examiner is a senior doctor, who is independent and not involved in the patient’s care. With the assistance of trained Bereavement & Medical Examiner Officers, they will review all deaths in order to establish a cause of death prior to the issuing of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). During your initial contact with the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office, you will be given the opportunity to discuss the care and treatment your loved one has received. This is a chance for you to give feedback, ask any questions you may have regarding any aspect of their hospital admission and express any concerns you may have. Advice will be given to you as to how such concerns can be taken forward. The service does endeavour to provide you with the MCCD as soon as possible, however sometimes this can take a little longer due to the availability of the doctor responsible for your loved one’s care and in some cases the Medical Examiner or the treating doctor may need to speak to the Coroner before we can issue the MCCD. In either case, we will inform you of any delays which may occur. There is further information on Coroner’s referrals on Page 8. If the MCCD is able to be issued, we will explain to you what the next steps you need to take are.

Registering the death The death should be registered by appointment only. You can arrange an appointment with Somerset Registrations by calling their central booking line on 01823 282251. The Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office staff will advise you of the best time to call. The person registering the death must be one of the following: • A relative or partner of the person who has died • A personal representative of the person who has died, e.g., solicitor • A person present at the death • The person arranging the funeral The Registrar will ask for the following information about the person who has died: • Date and place of death • Name, surname and maiden name (if applicable) of the deceased • The deceased’s date and place of birth • Last occupation and marital status of the deceased • The usual address of the deceased • Whether the deceased received any pension or benefits from public funds • Name and last occupation of the deceased’s spouse (if married or widowed) • If the deceased was still married, the date of birth of the surviving spouse. Once you have completed the registration of death with the Registrar, they will issue a certificate of burial or cremation (Green Form) for the Funeral Director and the Death Certificate. They will also ask you how many copies of the Death Certificate you will need. These are £12.50 per certified copy. You can find a list of some of the organisations who would require a certified copy of a Death Certificate over the page. Please note, this is not a definitive list and is for guidance only: 3

• Banks & Building Societies - those that are local which can be visited in person will require sight of the certificate. They will photocopy the original and return it to you. • Personal Pension Companies • Premium Bonds & National Savings • Life Insurance • Contracts and Agreements • Probate • Solicitors • Accountants • Stocks & Shares • Mortgage Company & Land Registry • Credit Cards & Finance Agreements • Memberships of Professional or Social Bodies The Registrar can also provide information about the Tell Us Once service. This is a free service which informs certain organisations for you to save you several different phone calls.There is a list of some organisations below, again this is not a definitive list and is for guidance only: • DWP - you will need the deceased’s National Insurance Number • Council Housing • Council Tax • Library Services • Electoral Services • Adult Social Services • Blue Badge • Housing Benefit • Child Benefit • Working Tax Credits • Child Tax Credits • Personal Taxation • DVLA 4

• Driving Licence – you will need the Driver Number • Registered Keeper of a Motor Vehicle – you will need the Registration Number • Concessionary Travel • Passport Agency – you will need the passport number • Government Pensions • NHS • Civil Service • Armed Forces • Participating Local Government Offices

Tissue donation Corneas can be retrieved up to 24 hours after death and heart valves up to 48 hours. If you think your loved one expressed a wish to make such a donation, please contact the Bereavement and Medical Examiner Office at: Musgrove Park Hospital, 01823 343753 Yeovil Hospital, 01935 384746 as soon as possible or let ward staff know if out of Bereavement Office hours (10am - 4pm Monday - Friday).

Spiritual Care Irrespective of your faith group or religion, the Hospital Chaplains can offer support to you and your family, if you would like it. The Chaplains can also put you in touch with officiants of other religions. Musgrove Park Hospital, Level 1 of the Duchess Building, 01823 342515 Yeovil Hospital, Level 4, 01935 384357 5

Paying last respects Unfortunately, we are unable to facilitate viewings in either of our hospital mortuaries unless it is in absolutely exceptional circumstances. If you would like to see your loved one following their death, please discuss with your chosen funeral director if this is something they can facilitate on their premises.

Bereavement support following the death of a loved one The death of someone close to you can be a very difficult and emotional time. With your consent, our Trust’s Hope Counselling Team will contact you a few weeks after your bereavement to discuss any support you may find helpful. You are not obliged to take this call. If you feel that you need support sooner, please let the Bereavement Team know and they will be able to arrange this for you. We can offer up to three supportive telephone calls over a period of time following your loss. These calls are intended to provide emotional support, help you adjust, and give you space to talk about how you are feeling. They also offer an opportunity to explore any additional support that may be useful to you.

Choosing a Funeral Director When choosing a Funeral Director, you should feel comfortable and confident with them. Funeral Directors can manage all or part of the funeral arrangements. They can give advice on available options and provide support to help you make decisions. You can ask any Funeral Director for an estimated cost before making a commitment to use their services and it is reasonable to seek estimates from more than one company. Many people now have pre-paid funeral plans which have all of their wishes pre-arranged. You may need to check if your loved one has one in place and which Funeral Director it was taken out with. The Funeral Director needs to know and discuss with you: • The name, age and religion of the person who has died • The place of death and name of the doctor who has signed the Medical Certificate • Any particular requests left by the person who has died • If burial or cremation is required (please ask your Funeral Director about the costings for each of these) • The style of coffin • The type of service, hymns, cars, flowers, newspaper notices (if any), etc. Funeral costs are normally recoverable from the person’s estate, however the person organising the funeral will initially be responsible for paying the bill. It is advisable to check where the money will come from before you make arrangements and when the Funeral Director will require the bill to be paid. Where finances are limited you may be entitled to help with some of the funeral costs from the Social Fund. The staff in the Bereavement and Medical Examiners Office can provide an application form for this. A list of Funeral Directors in the Somerset area is provided on Pages 19-23 in this booklet. 7

Coroner’s Referrals Under certain circumstances the involvement of the Coroner may be necessary. Examples of such circumstances are: • all sudden and unexplained deaths • where the cause of death is unknown and a doctor cannot issue a certificate • any death through unnatural or suspicious causes, for example suicide, violence, poisoning, accidents • if the death occurred as a result of an operation or procedure • if the death was caused by industrial disease The Coroner for Somerset is an independent judicial officer who enquires into those deaths who fall into the above categories. The Coroner’s Officers are independent representatives and work to the guidance of the Coroner. The Coroner’s Officers will be contacted by the doctor and the Coroner will decide one of 3 things: • that the death was from natural causes and the doctor is permitted to issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death • the cause of death is unknown and a post mortem examination is required • the cause of death is unnatural and an inquest is to be held

Post Mortem Examination The Coroner is legally empowered to request a post mortem, therefore your consent is not required. You will be informed if a post mortem is necessary by the Coroner’s Officer responsible for your loved one’s case and if you have any concerns you can discuss these with him/her. Following the outcome of the post mortem, the Coroner’s Officer will contact you to inform you of the result. They may ask which Funeral Director you intend to use and whether burial or cremation is to be arranged. 8

Inquest If the death is from unnatural causes, or there is need for further enquiry following a post mortem, the Coroner will open an inquest into the medical cause and circumstances surrounding the death. The Coroner’s Officer will explain the details to you at the time, the inquest will be adjourned and re-opened at a later date. In this situation, the Coroner will normally issue an interim Death Certificate which will enable you to make funeral arrangements. Following the inquest the Coroner will send the Coroner’s Certificate to the Registrar to allow the death to be formally registered and the full death certificate to be issued accordingly. The Bereavement & Medical Examiner Officers will tell you if your loved one’s case needs to be referred to the Coroner and why. If we do not refer a death to the Coroner, but you have concerns relating to the treatment provided here, you can ask the Coroner to consider holding an inquest. It is a good idea to do this as soon as possible after your loved one has died; as delays in requesting an inquest may mean that any opportunity for the Coroner to order a post mortem is lost. The local Coroner’s Office can be contacted via: His Majesty’s Coroner, Old Municipal Buildings, Corporation Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4AQ Telephone: 01823 359271 Email: coroner@somerset.gov.uk If you are seeking, or involved in, an inquest, you may wish to find further independent information, advice or support. Details of organisations that can advise on the process, including how you can obtain legal representation, are listed on pages 15-17 in this booklet.

Reviews of deaths in our care Case note reviews are routinely carried out by NHS Trusts on a proportion of all deaths in order to learn, develop and improve healthcare, and also when a problem in care may be suspected. A case note review is where the NHS looks at the patient notes and other details that are available to review a patient’s death. These reviews are carried out by a clinician who was not directly involved in the patient’s care, looking at each aspect of their treatment and how well it was provided. When a routine review finds any issues with a patient’s care, we contact their family to discuss this further. We also carry out case note reviews when a significant concern is raised with us relating to the care we provided to a patient. It is considered a ‘significant concern’ when: • any concerns raised by the family cannot be answered at the time; • any concerns are not answered to the family’s satisfaction or answered in a way which does not reassure them. This may happen when a death is sudden, unexpected, untoward or accidental. If this happens, it will be discussed how these findings are shared with you, including thorough checks as to whether we have permission to share this information with family or carers. Apart from case note reviews, there are specific processes and procedures that Trusts need to follow if your loved one had a learning disability; is a child; died in a maternity setting; or as a result of a mental health related homicide. Should they be required, we will provide you with the specific details on these processes and if they will delay the funeral.

Investigations In a small percentage of cases, there may be concerns that the death could be, or is related to, a patient safety incident. This is any incident which could have led, or did lead, to harm for one or more patients receiving healthcare. Where there is a concern that a patient safety incident may have contributed to a patient’s death, a safety investigation will be undertaken. The purpose of a safety investigation is to find out what happened and why. This is to identify any potential learning for the Trust and to reduce the risk of a similar incident happening to other patients in the future. If an investigation is to be held, you will be informed. We will explain the process to you and ask you about how, and when, you would like to be involved. If appropriate, we will explain how you will be included in setting the terms of reference (the topics that will be looked at) for the investigation. Investigations may be carried out internally or by external investigators, depending on the circumstances. In some cases, an investigation may involve care providers other than Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. For example, if your loved one has received care from several organisations. In these circumstances, this will be explained to you, and you will be told which organisation is acting as the lead investigator. You will be kept up-to-date on the progress of the investigation and invited to contribute. Your comments will be incorporated into the report. After the report has been signed off, the Trust will make arrangements to meet with you to discuss the findings. You may find it helpful to get independent advice about taking part in investigations and other options open to you. Some people will benefit from having an independent advocate to accompany them to meetings and you are welcome to bring a friend, relative or advocate to any meetings you attend. Details of independent organisations that may be able to help are on pages 15-17 of this booklet. 11

Where the death of a patient is associated with an incident during a patient’s care, staff must follow the Duty of Candour Regulation which means we have to be honest and open. Our staff will explain this to you in more detail.

Providing feedback, raising concerns or making a complaint Providing feedback: We value and welcome your thoughts about your loved one’s care. Receiving feedback from families helps us to understand: • the things we are doing right and need to continue; and • the things we need to improve upon. Raising concerns or complaints: It is very important to us that you feel able to ask questions and raise concerns regarding the care your loved one received. You can do this by informing the staff in the Bereavement Office, as they may be able to answer your concerns by reviewing the notes. If there are any serious care concerns, we will highlight these to our Learning from Deaths Lead within the Trust who will look into these further. If you would prefer to discuss your concerns with someone not directly involved in your loved one’s care, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on: Telephone: 01823 343536 or email: PALS@somersetft.nhs.uk

People you might need to inform, apart from close family and friends (excluding ‘Tell Us Once’)

Done

Priest, vicar, minister or leader of other faiths

Done

Electricity, gas, telephone, water companies, internet service provider

Hospital other than Musgrove Park Hospital, dentist, optician

Post Office (redirect mail) Cancel any appointments (apart from Musgrove Park Hospital and GP)

Bank, credit cards, Building Society Social Services (home help or care) or other care provider

Day Centre transport

Previous place of work/ place of work (occupational pension)

NHS departments for returning equipment

Deliveries, for example, milkman, newspapers

Employer, trade union

Executors of the Estate named in the persons Will

A child’s or young person’s teacher, employer or college if a close relative/friend has died

Solicitor Insurance Companies, e.g., car, home, life, caravan Residential or nursing home Landlord, housing agency Mortgage company/landlord

Further information and support Practical Do’s and Don’ts Do • Choose a Funeral Director with whom you feel comfortable • Express your emotions • Talk about what has happened with your family, close friends or a sympathetic group • Eat properly and rest • Guard against accidents in the home • Make sure your home is secure • Consult your doctor if your health is a worry • Contact ‘Cruse’ or another group if you need extra support (contact numbers on pages 15-17 of this booklet) Don’t • Hide your feelings • Let family or friends hurry you into making decisions or doing things until you are ready, for example sorting out your loved one’s belongings before you are ready to tackle that task yourself • Enter into any financial arrangement you do not understand • Turn to drugs or alcohol • Allow the funeral to be rushed or be unnecessarily expensive • Move home or make any major life changes whilst you are still grieving • Hurry the healing process. Take it at your own pace Bereavement is a distressing experience we all encounter during our lives. Yet it is something few of us talk about, resulting in little opportunity to learn about coping with the death of someone close to us. Grieving is a natural process that usually takes place after any death but, most powerfully, after the death of someone we love. For any further information on coping with grief and what support is available to you, please contact the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office. 14

Advice and Support 2 Wish Providing bereavement support to all those affected by the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult aged 25 or under. 01443 853 125 Email: info@2wish.org.uk Child Bereavement UK Supports bereaved children, teenagers and parents. 0800 02 888 40 Email: helpline@childbereavementuk.org Citizens Advice Bureau 01823 282235 www.citizensadvice.org.uk Compassionate Friends Support for bereaved parents, of all ages, and their families. 0345 123 2304 Email: helpline@tcf.org.uk Cruse Bereavement Care Provides counselling and support to all bereaved people irrespective of age. National telephone helpline 0808 808 1677 Somerset referral line 01458 748008 or somerset@cruse.org.uk Email: info@cruse.org.uk Department for Work & Pensions For further information about what to do after a death regarding wills, pensions, probate etc. www.gov.uk/after-a-death Donor Family Network Striving to become one of the leading donor family charities in the transplant community by providing awareness of organ donation and through the highest quality support for every donor family. 0333 129 025 Email: info@donorfamilynetwork.co.uk

Josephine’s Star Support to children and their families in Somerset when someone special has died. A charity formed by a small group of professionals who know how important it is for children to have the opportunity of support in their grief. Email: referral@josephinesstar.org.uk www.josephinesstar.org.uk Somerset Suicide Bereavement Support Service Support and information for those bereaved by suicide. 0300 330 5463 Email: Bereaved@mindinsomerset.org.uk Peer group meeting 1st Thursday of every month. Swan Advocacy Provides advocacy services in North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, including generic advocacy and independent health complaints advocacy to support people to complain about NHS services. They have expertise where bereavement or end of life care are a factor. www.swanadvocacy.org.uk The Good Grief Trust For help & support in one place. Lists over 700 support networks for a range of different needs. www.thegoodgrieftrust.org Email: hello@thegoodgrieftrust.org The Way Foundation A support group for people who have lost a husband, wife or partner at a young age. www.widowedandyoung.org.uk Winston’s Wish Family Line Supports bereaved children and teenagers. 08088 020 021 8am – 8pm Monday-Friday Email: ask@winstonswish.org

Support for military veterans, reserves and their families Cruse Specialist bereavement care charity who recognise the particular differences for veterans and military families who are grieving. 0808 808 1677 www.cruse.org.uk/organisations/grief-in-the-military Soldiers’ Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association A charity providing welfare, health and support services for the UK military’s serving personnel, veterans and their families. - Access emotional support - Seek assistance if you are struggling with finances or your personal circumstances change following your loss For more information visit: www.ssafa.org.uk/get-help/supportingolder-veterans/loss-of-a-loved-one 0800 260 6767 Defence Medical Welfare Service Independent charity providing support to the armed forces community when they need help during times of physical or mental ill health, either in hospital, rehabilitation settings or at home. www.dmws.org.uk Professionals can refer people for emotional support from Justine Clayton, Welfare Officer at the Defence Medical Welfare Service, by emailing: jclayton@dmws.org.uk Local military associations Connect with people who have similar backgrounds. From there you can discover other networks and support. Although this is not specific to bereavement, it could still be helpful for your wellbeing. Royal British Legion counties.britishlegion.org.uk/counties/somerset/somersetbranches Royal Naval Association www.royal-naval-association.co.uk/join-us

Search online for other local and virtual groups. Local veteran breakfast clubs in Taunton and Yeovil – search online through Facebook for details. This list of contacts is just a selection of what is available and is not exhaustive. If you require any specific advice or support, please contact the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office who can signpost you to the most appropriate agency.

Funeral Directors from the region Taunton & Wellington Area Co-operative Funeralcare

32 Priorswood Road, Taunton

01823 272139

Crescent Funeral The Old Coach House, Services Crescent Park, Taunton

01823 530100

E White & Son

138-139 East Reach, Taunton

01823 272183

Nigel K Ford

45 Station Road, Taunton North End, Creech St Michael

01823 338369 01823 444354

Quantock 69 Staplegrove Road, Taunton Funeral Directors

01823 277938

Taunton Funeral Service

55 Bridge Street, Taunton Broad Meadow View, West Road, Wiveliscombe

01823 321077 01984 624149

H Tredwin & Son Ltd

15 & 17 North Street, Wellington

01823 672287

Friendship and Sons

46-48 Ladymead Road, Taunton 10 Fore Street, Wellington

01823 618030 01823 617540

Unit 7, Barle Enterprise Centre Dulverton

01398 324590

Dulverton Area Friendship and Sons

Bridgwater & Burnham Area Ashley Edwards

9 Church St, Highbridge

01278 794304

H Biffen & Sons

32 Wembdon Road, Bridgwater

01278 423333

Bridgwater 15 Bristol Road, Bridgwater Funeral Services

01278 457755

Burnham Funeral 97 Oxford Street, Services Burnham-on-Sea

01278 588326

Co-operative Funeralcare

01278 446161 6-8 St. John Street, Bridgwater 14 Adam Street, Burnham-on-Sea 01278 773847

Grandfield and Son

Keenthorne, Nether Stowey

01278 732219

MacBeth Funeral 4 Regent Street, Burnham-on-Sea 01278 497463 Services P J Harris

2 Cross Street, Burnham

01278 226990

R Millard and Son

6 Springfield Road, Highbridge

01278 226990

Wallace Stuart

73 Fore Street, North Petherton

01278 664400

Robson Funeral Services

60 Clare Street, Bridgwater

01278 497300

Minehead Area Amanda-Louise

3 Blenheim Road, Minehead

01643 800335

Green Undertakings

4 Park Street, Minehead

01643 703000

Hedley Price

Mart Road, Minehead

01643 703111

Oak Funeral Services

34 Long Street, Williton

01984 248006

Robson Funeral Services

14 Park Street, Minehead

01643 703000

Ilminster & Chard A J Wakely

45 Holyrood Street, Chard 7 West Street, Ilminster

01460 67900 01460 52576

Bishops

Cillerhayes, Old Town, Chard

01460 66909

B Gibbs

The Manse, 28 Fore Street, Chard 01460 66100 25 Silver Street, Ilminster 01460 929100

Yeovil Area A J Wakely

33 Sparrow Road, Yeovil

01935 479913

Co-operative Funeralcare (Inc G H Cook)

8-11 Bond Street, Yeovil

01935 423463

Crescent Funeral Bow House, Bow Street, Services Langport Townsend, Curry Rivel

01458 252505 01458 259476

Forsey and Son

01458 272297

Pound Pool, Somerton

Irish and Denman Palmer Street, South Petherton

01460 240348

David Rivett

30 Lyde Road, Yeovil

01935 433737

Stuart Foster

27 Market Street, Yeovil

01935 508971

A E Stoodley & Son

29 St James Street, South Petherton

01460 247987

Glastonbury & Wells Area Forsey and Son

Willowfields, Lowerside Lane, Glastonbury

01458 831020

W B Gibbs

Riverside, Henton

01749 672550

M Franks and Sons

Bath Road, Ashcott

01458 210627

G Holland and Son

58 - 62 Vestry Road, Street

01458 840658

Trotman

Ashdene, Doulting, Shepton Mallet 01749 880271

Unwins

The Firs, Underwood, Wookey Hole Road, Wells

01749 679927

Heymock & Cullompton Pring and Son

50 Fore Street, Cullompton

01884 32855

Walter H Squires

27 Higher Street, Cullompton

01884 839556

Crewkerne & Axminster A E Stoodley & Son

The Old Bank, 37 Market Square, Crewkerne

01460 73229

A J Wakely

2 Abbey Street, Crewkerne

01460 74547

J F Clarke and Son

Lyme Rd, Axminster

01297 32686

W G Potter William Potter House, West Street, Funeral Directors Axminster

01297 34283

Cheddar Cheddar and District

Redcliffe Court, 3 Redcliffe Street,Cheddar

01934 742958

M J Sheppard

Cornerways, Church Street, Cheddar

01934 742885

We wish to thank the advertisers and sponsors, without whom this publication would not be possible. The Trust does not endorse any of the products or services they provide. If any of the information contained in this pack is incorrect, for example, contact numbers and/or details, please inform the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office at: Musgrove Park Hospital, 01823 343753 Yeovil Hospital, 01935 384746

Reference: Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Bereavement Book Review Date: May 2028 Publication Date: May 2026

The Hospital would like to thank RNS Publications for publishing this information and the following pages contain some features from services offering their help at this time. Whilst the Hospital is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide. Please note, whilst information is correct at the time of publication, this may be subject to future change.

STOPPING JUNK MAIL If someone you know has died, we can reduce the amount of unwanted marketing post being sent to them, stopping painful daily reminders. By registering with our free service, the names and addresses of the deceased are removed from mailing lists, stopping most advertising mail within as little as six weeks.

Call: 0333 006 8114 OR

Visit our website: www.stopmail.co.uk bereavement support network stop mail

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Probate? You may need help, support or advice on what to do when someone dies in relation to probate. It may not always appear obvious if it will be required.

Call: 0333 240 0360 We offer free guidance on the legal and financial aspects of bereavement including your responsibilities and whether probate is required. You may need to establish whether a property is held in joint names or tenants in common, we can perform a simple check at no cost to establish the title deeds. This service is provided by

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FRIENDSHIP & SONS Funeral Directors

For the personal touches that matter 24 Hour Personal Service

Golden Charter Funeral Plans

Private Chapel of Rest

Home Visiting Service

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For Professional Advice and Guidance please contact us 24 hours a day

Taunton: 01823 618030 46-48 Ladymead Road, Taunton, TA2 7RS Dulverton: 01398 324590 Unit 7, Barle Enterprise Centre, Dulverton, TA22 9BF Wellington: 01823 617540 10 Fore Street, Wellington, TA21 8AQ nick@friendshipandsons.co.uk - www.friendshipandsons.co.uk